Combined fuse and switch box.



W. R. VANAMAN. COMBINED FUSE AND SWITCH BOX.

APPLIUTION FILED JUNE l0, 1908. 928,466. Patented June 1, 1909.

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COMBINED FUSE AND SWITCH BOX. l

APPLICATION FILED JUNI; 1o, 190s.

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ATTORNE Y.

WILLIS R. VANAMAN, F ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY.-

COMBINED FUSSE ANI) SWITCH BOX.

Specieaton of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1809.

Application led June 10, 1908. Serial N 0. 437 ,653.

To all 'whom i*- may concern.'

B'e it known that I, ViLLis R. VANAMAN, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at iatlantic City, in the county of Atlantic and State ofV NewJersey, have invented a certain new and useful Combined Fuseand SwitchBox, of which the` 1following is a' specification. This inventionrelates to terminal cut-outs and especially to the fuse-boxes used onelectric-railway cars, and has for its prin- ,lout dangei' of electricalshock to the operV the lid or cover in closed position.

cipal object to provide a combined fuse and switch-box which permits ofready insertion and removal ofa fuse without the spading of thethird-rail shoes,'pulling of bus lines,

pulling of trolley poles, or the opening of.

switches.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cushioned Contactdevice for holding the end of the fuse, 'and which is compact, strongand inexpensive and' which enables the fuse to be quicklyreplaced-withator.

A still further object of the p i'e'sentinvention is to improve thestructural details of-y this kind of a fuse box.

Other objects will appear hereinafter;

The invention consists ofthe im rovements hereinafter described 'and'nally claimed.

The nature, characteristic features and` modified 'form of fuse clamp.Fig. 5, is a similar View illustrating a further modified form of fuseclamp; and Fig. 6, is a similar view illustrating a still furthermodified v form of fuse clamp.

Referring to the drawings, the combined fuseand switch-box is made up orconstructed of non-conductive, fire-proof material and is shown ascoinprisin tWo parts hinged vtogether as at 3, Whereo the part 1,

constitutes the box, and 2, the lid or cover. As clearlyillustrated,.the bottom of the box is open to permit the escape of thearc when the fuse blows, and is provided with a magnetizedA metallicstrip 4, that serves among other purposes to prevent persons' fromplacing their hands inside the box' and upon the fuse or terminals.Located yat the front of the box 1, there is also a magnet-ized metallicstrip 5. At each end of the box 1, and in the respective upper cornersthereoffand seated Within non-con- `ductive material 6, are termin-alblocks 7, of suitable conductive lmaterial having there-V throughapertures 8, adapted for the reception of conducting-leads 9 that mayenter through the back ends or top of the box 1. As before stated thelid oricover of this boii has hinged relation therewith and the edges10, of this lid 2', are arranged to extend or lap Aover the meetingedges of the lid and.' lbox in order to render'the said box watersltight'. and dust-proof.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the 11d or cover 2, is shown as being slottedas at 11, to' accommodate the travel therethrough of the lock-handle'12, which is operatively connect'ed with a system ofv levers adapted tolock and unlock the'lid 2, with respect to the :box 1. As shown thismechanism comprises a lever 13, fulcrumed as at 14, to the 1id or Vcover2,'andt having pivotal relation `with which are^lock-bars 15, adapted tocoperate with openings 16, located in the box sides 1, and shown asbeing adjacent to the terminal blocks 7. By-thisarrangement it is merelynecessary' to move thelock-handle '12, either -to the left or to theright in order t unlock or lock the box. Carried by the lid or`cover 2,is a; guard or fender 17, of non-conductive material which is adapted toprevent any larc ,that may be -present within the box from springinglthereout while the4 lid or cover is being'opened., In this connectionit may be also remarked that the hinges 3,

are arranged upon the exterior of the box4 sothat current cannot reachthem. Ar-

rang'ed abovethe lock-handle 12, and the slot 11, and carried by the lidor cover 2, vis a hood 18, that serves to prevent water from gainingaccess to the box' interior, and :also serves to preventthe handle 12,from being moved or misplaced. U on the inner side ofthe lid or cover 2,an arranged to' cover `practically the entire area thereof. is aplateapfnon-conducti-ng'materia-l19,wh1ch devices of the invention.

tending from a block or base 25, and being provided with a top 26, allof these parts being of nonconductive material. The top piece 26, isapertured as at 27, for the passage therethrough of. the beveled portion28, ofA the Contact block 29, the flanged portion 30, of which is guidedby and contained within the cage-like frame.

Arranged adjacent te the contact block 29, is a` nnger piece 81,'shownas being extended beyond the cage-like frame and as being provided witha hollow extension 32,

adapted to work within a sleeve 33, carried by the basepplate 25.Interposed between the said base plate 25, and the finger piece 31, andwithin the hollow extension 32, and sleeve 33, is a cushion or spring34, which is adapted4 to normally press the contact block 29, againstthe terminal block 7, before described. The fuse 35, which may be astrip of copper or the like is placed in position by having itsrespective ends inserted between the anged part 30, of the contact block29, and the finger piece 31. By the above described construction it willbe apparent that should a fuse blow out upon an electric-car it will notbe necessary to spade the thirdrail shoes, pull the bus line, pull thetrolley pole, or open any switches in order to insert a new fuse. On thecontrary it will be merely necessary to turn the lockhandle 12, totheleft, thus causing the bolts 15, to be disengaged from the apertures 16,in the boX l, and pull the lid or cover 2,

outward and thus leave the fuse holding devices free of and in no wisecontacting with the conducting-leads 9. By the simple operation ofpressing downward the cushioned finger piece 31, a newl fuse may bereadily, conveniently and expeditiously inserted within the clampingdevice without danger.

of being shocked by electrical current.

Several modified forms of fuse clamping devices may be used, and adescription will now be given of those modified forms shown in thedrawings.

In Fig. 4, the arrangement of parts -is the same as above described withthe exception that the lead-block 36, is slightly beveled as at 37, andthe contact block 38, is beveled as'at 39. p

In Fig. 5, the contact bloclr40, is shown as being provided with athreaded extension 41, adapted to cooperate with an interiorly threadedand movable member 42, having cushioned relation with the base of thecagelilre frame. In this case the fuse 35, would be provided withapertures 43, for the passage therethrough of the threaded extension 41.

In Fig. 6, a cartridge fuse 44, is shown as being supported betweencushioned members 45, and 46, the member 46., having cushioned relationwith the base 25, of the cage-like member, andthe member 45, havingcushioned relation with an intermediate base 25a. It is thought that theoperation of these various modifications will be readilyunderstood inconnection with the foregoing description.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus of the class described the combination of a boxcomprising a fixed and-a movable element, terminal blocks carried by thefixed element cushioned contact blocks carried by themmovable element,and means operatively connectedwith said contact blocks, for receivingand clamping to place a fuse between said contact blocks.

2. In apparatus of the class described the combination of a boxcomprising a fixed and movable element, terminal blocks carried by thefixed element and cushioned contact blocks having a fuse therebetweencarried by the movable element whereby when said movable element isswung clear of the fixed element the circuit is interrupted between thecushioned contact blocks and said terminal blocks.

3. A terminal cut-out comprising a Ibox having a movable cover, terminalblocks carried by the box, cage-lille devices carried by the cover,movable contact pieces guided therein, cushioned finger pieces alsoguided within said cage and a fuse having` its respective ends Aclampedbetween the contact and finger pieces of the respective cage-likedevices.

4. A terminal cut-out comprising a box having a movable cover, terminalblocks carried within the box, cage-like devices consisting of baseplates, tcp plates and posts fixed to said cover, cushioned contactmembers operatively connected with respect to said cages and a fuseclamped between the respective contact members.

5. .i fuse clan'ipiug device .comprising a base and top plate, postsinterposed between Cil said base and top at each corner thereof, a

Contact member projected through said top, a finger piece having ahollow projection, a sleeve carried by the base and a cushion interposedbetween said finger piece and base and within said projection andsleeve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name. WILLIS R. VANAMN.Witnesses:

M. H. BROWN, WM. E. ALBERTSON.

